corta765

Dunkirk Don...?

The 2022 class which is the foundation of the new core didn't really start making a mark until the back half of 2023 and only by the end of the year could you look and start really really feeling good about where it was going. Making any type of judgement on 2024 good or bad is a mistake until at minimum after this season and really like you said it should be year 3 where its yay or nay.

The entire fanbase should box each other in the parking lot to motivate the team the night before

I never thought the NFL would leave Buffalo (at least at that time) given the leagues rules for owners to try everything to stay which included a city building a new stadium which per league rules meant the owner couldn't leave. Toronto sucked but LA always felt more like the real threat if they would go just given the open spot there. Ironically my view on the team leaving changed in 2014 even though Pegula had the team. If you read the details on St. Louis with the Rams they did everything by the book for the NFL to keep the team and was needed to block an owner from moving... and the NFL still let it happen. Chargers & Raiders never had real stadium plans so that wasn't a surprise that they would leave those markets, but St. Louis by the leagues own rules did it right and the NFL let em go regardless to the point the Rams & League are paying St. Louis back. Once that happened it open my eyes to the NFL not really giving a sh*t regardless of history market etc. People talk about Green Bay and how they wish more markets could do that, but the Packers are a complete pain the a$$ for the NFL because they do not have the goal of max money because they are community owned. The last thing the NFL ever desires now would be another market having that type of reach given the oodles of money Owner owed teams bring in and can get out of markets.

It is funny because the WR corp is probably a grade of B at best... but the floor is also decently high and someone is going to be cut who will go somewhere else and do relatively decent.

Bro they have like 7 different drafts during the drought you could say the same thing about lol The Bills drought is a lesson in bad asset mgmt to max and failing to build upon what you have.

Everyone knows Dick typically collected unregistered firearms after every practice and didn't that day. Duh

I will make a "in defense of" piece for the Bills with both hires. Donahoe was highly regarded when he came in given the work he had done with PIT. It was viewed as a stabilizing move at the time and one that the Bills were moving into the future bringing in a strong mind outside the org. It didn't work, but the true sin was not doing so again and instead going internal. Like QB if your GM doesn't work you need to try again with the best candidates possible which many times are outside of your org when your not doing so hot. Ralph instead got a yes man in Marv (with due respect) and the org sunk lower. Whaley was part of the Nix group and had similar vibes as he scouted much of that PIT D which dominated in the 2000s. I honestly think he was a decent GM as he found good players in later rounds and had a real good feel for the FA market regarding affordable options. The problem is he went nuts when the check book opened in 2015 although I'd argue Rex stopped that team from being a playoff group. His move for Watkins also was wayyy too aggressive for a team that was not in position for it. Whaley I at least get why he made those moves because by the time he took over they were desperate to slay the drought and the team had enough talent to make it happen (which kind of did happen in 2017). He never could get out of the way with his EJ pick which hurt him & its been covered in length the missteps with Watkins/2015 FA spending spree, but I honestly think with another go around he would be a pretty good GM as he had a good eye for talent in all rounds and he was really good with finding cheap FA's or trades (remember he traded for Jerry Hughes).

lol I love that they were interviewing him on ESPN in 2015 about his status on contract with the Bills.. and then the Bills literally traded for McCoy mid interview and yea his time was toast hahaha

Eh your saying in 4 years your profit is 100 mil just by existing. That is pretty dang good.

Aaron Schatz made a good point that the Pats coaching was so bad that even if Vrabel is more a .500 head coach that is still a mammoth improvement in a lot of ways. Their defense I expect to be in the top half of the league, but the offense I think will still take time as the WR corp is so weak and the offensive line needs a lot of work. I am high on Maye but it will take time and a 7-10 8-9 year is great growth imo for them.

I member when he got signed we were at my aunt and uncles and everyone had the same reaction... he picked Buffalo? Ralph really is trying to sell tickets lol. But I do remember drinking the koolaid so bad that the offense wasn't bad the year prior, Trent had some good moments TO can help him blah blah blah lol. It was at least fun and he was a solid teammate here. My wife and I were at a sparsely attended camp (had to have been 100 people tops there) and it was cool to see him from like 7 ft away.

I think the Ravens on paper right now have the most complete roster. I also think they play in an incredibly tough division which adds attrition in a very real way, their overall schedule is very tough, and I will say the quiet part out loud Derrick Henry is 32 in January and NFL history shows RB's break down now. He has 950 carries the last three years which historically means an injury is now very possible. Henry is a beast and one of my favorites to watch... I also want to see if he lasts and if he doesn't how that offense responds because he adds an element that is irreplacable.

Josh not making a SB would break me as a fan if that is how he retires. The 90s teams had their shot and made a legacy even if they did not win the big game. Norwood's miss hangs big because it was their best chance and they were that close to have the crown. Josh coming here, growth, and ascension into a truly all time elite QB is what you dream of. In a league where QBs are favored and given every adventure rules wise, to not break through with what will be the most talented QB we will ever have in my lifetime is the worst. Your telling me they make or win a SB with a lessor talent and team after all of that? I am sorry but I just don't buy it with how circular sports are with good and bad. Green Bay is truly the one exception to that rule but they sucked for the 20+ years between Lombardi & Farve. The down periods are real and when you in the up period you better hit the f*cking mark especially when the QB you have is setting all types of records. Pittsburgh has been a model of consistency but even they are seeing how hard it is to make a SB even in a better org and culture. I honestly do not even think Cowher would make a SB in the 90s if todays rules and game existed given how important the QB is. The AFC title lost this last year was probably the worst loss I've went through as a Bills and Sabres fan because of the opportunity that was lost. I am still very very optimistic the break through is coming so I am ignoring the other the side of the coin at this point. BUT where after the 2020 AFC Title loss the sky felt like the limit, it now feels like the hour glass is moving and the next 5-7 years it better happen otherwise uh oh. The Bills are the 70's Raiders v the Steelers. Look at the success those Raiders teams had until they broke through and how many times PIT blocked them out. It finally happened and they got their ring, but they could've been a dynasty had PIT not been that good. That is what I see right now.

Yep. I live here and it is a huge huge draw. Additionally because the area in general is so nice and the canal is nearby they get a lot of residual business just given proximity.

Go for a walk, touch the grass, get some ice cream... it will be OK

It is always a good idea to make massive assumptions about the team based off a quarter of pre season game one with zero gameplan.

So the answer is the train

His time in the hour glass is running but to me he has through 2026-27 outside of some incredibly bizzare or awful implosion. Beane really spent to improve the defense with what resources he had so finally the D can maybe do its job come playoff time. Last years playoffs with Benford out really missed up the secondary and the depth was not nearly as strong so I do not fully get on McD's defense for that. I actually think in 2023 he legit coached well vs KC given the injuries on D and the gameplan was very specific if you were going to beat KC which they almost did and came down to a few narrow misses. BUT 2020-2022 is all on him and at some point the excuses are out, the defense needs to step up for how good the offense has been in elimination minus the CIN game.

Dolphins have/were that team. The issue is neither team is relevant from 2000 on until Buffalo got good so it became middling. With that said the 2022/2023 some of that hatred came back quick between the infamous Sun Game in 2022 (plus Miami was still in the division race when we beat them later in the year) and then Buffalo coming back to take the division crown in 2023. You truthfully need both teams to be relevant though for it to regain form. Buffalo has been whopping on Miami the way New England did on us so I know Phin fans do not like us at all, but honestly I laugh at Miami the way Patriot fans laughed at us. To me the Chiefs are our prime rival at this point and it has been that way even before Mahomes as the in 2014 that loss took us out of the playoffs at home and the next year the loss in KC again hurt our playoff chances. KC v BUF has had a decade now playoff implications now to SB implications. I will say I have a sizable hatred for Jacksonville. They always have our damn number in the playoffs or games with national attention like England. It is why to me whopping them at home felt so good last year on MNF because they get these weird freaking wins against us even if we are good.

When everything is said and done and Josh Mahomes Lamar Burrow retire you will see Allen/Lamar each have a ring or two and Mahomes has like 5 along with a few other AFC title rings just like Brady did to Peyton/Big Ben. Unfortunately he is blocking the way and when you finally get your turn to go your going to have to take it. Sports is like that, the Steelers blocked a lot of teams in the 70s from more rings and the Raiders that finally won in 1976 with Stabler was a partial relief to just get through and get the chance. Remember when the Pats lost Brady in 2008 that was one of only three times PIT made the SB and each time they did not have to face NE. Every other time they faced NE in the post season with Brady they lost. Peyton got some revenge over the years but even so NE still stole him from a far greater playoff legacy.

There is some statistical truth to what you are saying, but betting the Chiefs to miss entirely is still wild to me. Even if the Chiefs do regress, the division is tougher, and in general fortune finally smiles away from them there are three points that make it still very risky idea that they miss. 1. The playoff field expanded in 2020, of the teams listed that missed the following season they did not play in that format. The Chiefs have more variance allowed because of the additional spot even if they don't win the division. 2. Franchise QBs are protected and dominate in a way that makes it more difficult for them to miss the playoffs. Only Cam's Panthers missed of teams that you listed that had franchise guys. It took a truly heracleion effort by the Bengals defense to suck so bad last year that Burrows tremendous season was for naught along with a few games that they lost because of a miss FG or a play here. In today's NFL you bet on the top QBs to at least make the playoffs because of how the league values them and it is a fools bet to go against it. 3. The Chiefs unfortunately are the Patriots all over again which was the original exception to the rule. They have a QB Coach combo which elevates everything even if the roster is flawed or has holes. Your ability for error is greater when your Coach QB can do so much. I expect the Chiefs to come back to earth a bit, but what are we talking 11-6/12-5 where at worst their a wildcard team? They are still a terrifying monster and the only other combo this devastating made it work for nearly two decades and defied every statistical piece that exists. One of the things that made me laugh when Mayo took over the Pats from BB was this assumption the defense would still be lights out. BB hate or not still had a defense that his coaching mind elevated in a way few can do. Reid is the same on offense and has a DC that is brilliant in his own right. When that is paired with Mahomes or Brady you really are at a different ceiling that is quite difficult to stop.

lol so bad at least the year they had hats that looked like that fire starting company it was fun

Atlanta's defense I did not realize how much they have invested in young pash rushers. It is bold but it is one of the better bold picks logically I have seen The Miami piece I think a lot of people see a team that is going to implode and it is not being talked enough

I’m speaking specifically to end of game drives when it score to win scenarios in the playoffs. Brady/Mahomes are ahead of everyone, merchants of death level nuts. Literally the remaining field is a notch below them.